Well we are back here in Zapata after 8 days in……(notice the girls squinting in the pic above….gotta cut them some slack it was the first that they had seen the sun in 8 days…lol)

 

 

 

Yes that is snow….and a lot of it. My family and I made our yearly pilgrimage back to PA and to nobodies surprise we were greeted with one heck of a two day snow dump. It sure was good to see my family. Check out the pic below……I love seeing Mom and Pops smiling.

 

 

 

That picture right there is priceless…..(softy alert….yeah, yeah, I know) My sister is the one with the pretty smile standing beside me and those are her four boys…..I know what you all are thinking. Holy handful BATMAN! You’re right, but she has 4 good eggs, determination, and grit like no other. The next pic is minus the folks, but includes Chris who will soon be marrying into the family come April…..God bless him. lol. All kidding aside he is straight up a fantastic guy.

 

 

 

and here is a pic with just the gremlins

 

 

 

When I go home for Thanksgiving I also hunt the first day of buck which is on the following Monday. Let me tell you folks…..from age 12 through 21 there was NOTHING that I looked forward to anymore. I started reloading ammunition when I was 9 years old on the bench pictured below.

 

 

 

I would love to know how many hours I spent at that press and sweating out every single granule of IMR 4831. I was a perfectionist to say the very least. Here is a group shot from my 7mm mag and the handload.

 

 

Of course when either Dad or I did something spectacular the other person would not rest until they “found” something just as spectacular. Check out the group from pops.

 

 

 

That’s number 1 in my book……Dad pretty much drew a Royal Flush on me. lol.

 

Here is the look down one of my shooting lanes from Monday.

 

 

 

Notice no deer…..lol, tough first day for me. I only saw 2 deer out of my stand, but I will come clean. I took a dang near three hour break in the middle of the day. Soft? yes…..no arguments here.

 

After a looooooooong 24 hour process to get home….(canceled flights, layovers, hotels, etc, etc) I decided to take a “selfie” as the kids say…..I think the pic turned out good.

 

 

 

And don’t call me Captain Grey Beard either…..

 

*********************************************************

 

Well, if you are still reading and you made it down this far you are:

 

A. bored out of your mind

B. pretending to read emails at work

C. very efficient at speed reading

or…..

D. My mother.

 

Congrats regardless……let’s talk about fishing!

 

 

I have talked to a few folks that have fished on and off the past week or so and drum roll………..it’s been pretty slow and that is putting it mildly. My web guy Danny came down last week and managed a few like the one pictured, but I do stress FEW…lol.

 

 

 

Regardless of the reports, I raced home today and…..

 

 

 

Check out the front deck for tomorrow……wiiiiiiiiiiiiide range of goodies to probe 2 ft to 20 ft.

 

 

 

Mr. Steve will be joining me tomorrow. It’s gonna be a bright, bright, bright sun shiny day……

 

 

 

Sweet Mother of Pearl……I love Zapata.

 

Jay

 

One last tid bit before I call it a night and put this novel to rest…..Thanksgiving was on the 28th this year. Not a day goes by that I don’t count my blessings.

 

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